Improvement in cleaning watches and clocks



PATENT WILLIAM W. THOMPSON, OF SMITHVILLE, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLEANING WATCHES AND CLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,681, dated January9, 1872.

Specificationdescribing a certain Improvement in Process for CleaningWatches and Clocks, invented by WILLIAM W. THoMPsoN, of Smithville, inthe county of Lee and State of Georgia.

The object of this invention is to provide means for cleaning watchesand clocks without taking them to pieces; and it consists in immersingthe movements of such timepieces in naphtha or equivalent volatileliquid, and exposing them to heated air, thereby saving much time andexpense.

In carrying out my invention and discovery I, in the first place, takethe movement of the watch or the clock from its case; and in case thewatch has a dust-proof cap that also is removed, so that the liquid willhavea free circulation through the works. I now hold the movement with apair of pliers or other instrument, and immerse it in pure naphtha orother pure volatile liquid of a similar na' ture. While the movement isimmersed it is moved about or twirled in the liquid, so that all partswill be exposed to its action, and so that the liquid will pass rapidlythrough the works, and wash the dust and clean away the old oil. Thisoperation is completed in a few minutes, after which the movement isexposed to air heated to atemperature a little above that of thesurrounding atmosphere.

The evaporation of the naphtha or other volatile liquid is so rapid,after the movement is taken from it, that, unless it is exposed toartificial heat, the moisture of the common atmosphere will be condensedupon it, giving it the appearance of sweating. From thishighertemperature the movement is cooled down gradually to .that of thesurrounding atmos phere. The pivots or frictional points are touchedwith lubricating oil, and thework is done.

The whole process necessarily occupies not more than six or eightminutes of time. The result is satisfactory in every particular, asfrequent experiments have proved, While the actual cost is almostnothing when compared with the price ordinarily charged for cleaningwatches and clocks, substantially as specified. 7

WILLIAM W. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

JAMES L. J AY,

GEORGE O. EDWARDS. (36)

